Alexander McQueen: A Tribute

Saying goodbye to a fashion legend.

They Shoot Horses, Don't They? The Girl Who Lived in the Tree. Highland Rape. The Dance of the Twisted Bull. The drama of Alexander McQueen's runway shows was undeniable; no one told stories like him. And no one in fashion would dispute his status as a true genius of design. It's with mixed emotions of shock, sadness and disbelief that news spread this morning of McQueen's passingat the age of 40, only a few weeks after the death of his mother.

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McQueen, dubbed fashion's enfant terrible early on in his career but known to friends as simply Lee, was a master at creating unparalleled drama on the runway thanks to a wizard-like way with clothes, sets, makeup and music. He perfected the art of suspense — what will Lee do this season? What crazy ride will his clothes take us on? How can he possibly top last season?

He began his career as an apprentice at Anderson & Sheppard, celebrated Savile Row tailors. He famously sewed "I am a c***" into the lining of a jacket meant for the Prince of Wales. Such biting humor — along with aggression, melancholy and outright joy and optimism — marked his career on the runway, too, whether through his main collection, secondary line McQ, or when he was at the design helm at Givenchy. His spring 2008 collection was a sweet, honest tribute to his friend and muse (and the woman who discovered him) Isabella Blow, who had just committed suicide. (Stay tuned for photo highlights from throughout his career.)

McQueen's collections were among the few that could break through the jaded façade of the fashion community, eliciting incredible emotion — whether bad or good, but more often the latter. Many times during McQueen's career, editors, buyers, friends and fans would leave his shows with tears in their eyes, with the overwhelming sense that they had just witnessed something truly extraordinary and special.

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